Washington's proposed millionaires tax is justified and won't harm the tech ecosystem
Source: Brian Fioca. "Opinion: You couldn’t pay me to leave Washington state, and I’d pay more to stay – GeekWire." March 10, 2026. www.geekwire.com
The Gist
The author argues that Washington should pass its proposed tax on very high earners because the current tax system is unfair to lower-income people, and successful entrepreneurs should give back to the communities that helped them succeed. He believes founders care more about being near their friends and community than saving money on taxes.
Conclusion
Washington state should implement the proposed tax on very high incomes because it addresses systemic inequity without harming the innovation ecosystem
Premises
- Washington's current tax system is among the most regressive in the country and needs reform
- Founders and entrepreneurs build companies where their community and support networks are, not based on marginal tax rates
- The author has personally thrived in Washington's ecosystem and feels obligated to give back to the community that enabled his success
- Those who can afford to pay the high-income tax have benefited from the infrastructure and community that Washington provides
- Sustainable funding through predictable tax revenue is more effective than voluntary donations for long-term planning
- People will continue moving to Washington for its natural assets and quality of life regardless of this tax
- Democratic governance requires trusting elected representatives to make difficult policy tradeoffs rather than avoiding all imperfect solutions
Assumptions
- Tax policy should be based on ability to pay and reciprocity rather than pure economic optimization
- Community and quality of life are more important factors in business location decisions than tax rates
- Those who become wealthy in a region have moral obligations to that community
- Imperfect policy solutions are better than maintaining an unjust status quo
- Washington's innovation ecosystem is resilient enough to withstand this tax change